title: Adolescent suicidality as seen in rural northeastern Uganda: prevalence and risk factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicidal behavior in adolescence is a public health concern and has serious consequences for adolescents and their families. There is, however, a paucity of data on this subject from sub-Saharan Africa, hence the need for this study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A cross-sectional multistage survey to investigate adolescent suicidality among other things was undertaken in rural northeastern Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured protocol administered by trained psychiatric nurses collected information on sociodemographics, mental disorders (DSM-IV criteria), and psychological and psychosocial risk factors for children aged 3-19 years (N = 1492). For the purposes of this paper, an analysis of a subsample of adolescents (aged 10-19 years; n = 897) was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lifetime suicidality in this study was 6.1% (95% CI, 4.6%-7.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors significantly associated with suicidality included mental disorder, the ecological factor district of residence, factors suggestive of low socioeconomic status, and disadvantaged childhood experiences.
authors.affiliation: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda. eugene.kinyanda@mrcuganda.org
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kinyanda
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kizza
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ndyanabangi
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abbo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011584:Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult